When conducting a test of the electrical properties of a semiconductor integrated circuit, a liquid-crystal display device or the like, formed on a wafer, a probe card in which a plurality of probe pins are arranged is used. Typically, this test is conducted by making a plurality of electrode pads on a semiconductor integrated circuit element, a liquid-crystal display device or the like, which is a test target, formed on a wafer be in contact with probe pins.
Examples of conventionally-used probe pin materials include those using beryllium copper (Be—Cu), phosphor bronze (Cu—Sn—P) or tungsten (W), and an alloy formed by adding, e.g., sliver (Ag) to palladium (Pd).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-038922
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-154719
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-093355